HIDING PLACE

After police executed a warrant at a house in search of a murder accused,  they found him hiding underneath the dining room table.

This was part of the evidence given by Station Sergeant Sinclair Phillips in the murder trial of Jason Cecil Spencer in Supreme Court No. 2 on Tuesday.

Spencer, 42, has pleaded not guilty in relation to the May 2015 shooting death of Charles Ellis, formerly of 10th Avenue, New Orleans, St Michael.

In his statement, Phillips said that after receiving information, police went to a home in Brittons Hill, St Michael, just after 5 a.m. They gave the owner of the residence a warrant to search the premises and she allowed them entry.

During their search of the dining room, they found Spencer hiding on the chairs which were tucked closely under the table. He was arrested.

In his evidence, Sergeant Cecil Taylor said that on June 22, he went to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital where Dr David Gaskin, who was performing the post-mortem examination, removed a piece of metal from the body of the deceased and placed it in a vial before giving it to him. Taylor took this to the office of the firearm examiner.

Forensic firearms examiner Sergeant Roger Bullard told the court that the piece of metal was a fired .380 full metal jacket bullet.

Two other police witnesses, Station Sergeant John Goddard and Constable Kyle Hinds also gave evidence.

In his opening statement, Principal State Counsel Oliver Thomas, who is prosecuting the matter along with State Counsel Dr Zoe King, presented the State’s case to the jury, saying that on May 5, 2015,  Spencer and Ellis were seen arguing on the ‘106 and Park Block’ on Nelson Street, the City, when the accused grabbed the deceased and a loud explosion was heard. Ellis fell to the ground.

Ellis was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and died on May 27, 2015.

Senior Counsel Andrew Pilgrim and attorney Summer Hassell are representing the accused.

Justice Randall Worrell is presiding.

The trial continues on Monday.